I can just see it now: ‘Where’s little Jenny? Well, she’s downstairs playing in the traffic on her way to the park.’

—Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday, on the type of tragic scenario that results when families dare to raise children in the city’s hazardous, traffic-laden core. At city hall yesterday, the former mayor of Etobicoke said he feels “there are healthier places to raise children,” though he grudgingly conceded that some people might actually want to bring up their kids downtown. Adam Vaughan, who was raised downtown and is doing the same with his offspring, leapt to defend downtown parents, and it only got more heated from there (Holyday: “Sometimes I wonder if your head’s on backwards.” Vaughan: “At least I have a head on my shoulders!”). At the root of the spat is a requirement that a proposed 47-storey condo on King Street include family-friendly three-bedroom units, a provision that Holyday called “social engineering.” City council ended up voting to keep the three-bedroom requirement—tough luck for Holyday (and for poor Jenny). [Globe and Mail]

5 months in i conclude canada lacks the talent to fill top jobs. must find a way to attract and compensate clever talented outsiders to fix mess and train / inspire the next generation. especially in our biggest cities. this is truly pathetic.

Doug Holyday lives on a street that does not even have sidewalks. Walking is discouraged. At least with downtown’s stop and go traffic, the cars actually stop. Wonder how many of the cars go over the posted speed limit when they drive to the store to buy milk.

After searching ALL over Toronto, with 1 child and another on the way, we realized that housing here is so out of our reach that we have to move to the suburbs to get what we need.
We both have great jobs and have a medium income. Im sad that we have to move, but my commute will decrease, because streetcars and subways are so overcrowded. Driving or the go train are the better way.
I wish we could afford a safe neighborhood with a house that didnt have knob and tube, plus get 10 offers over asking..
SEE YOU TORONTO! (well, not really because I will continue to work downtown)